Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon
by LordessV
Summary: They were just two people- two lovers in the midst of a war. But darkness was their night. Darkness was their day. And darkness was the light that blew them away. A Sirius/OC fanfiction.
1. The Beginning of the End

**Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon**

* * *

**Summary: **_**Darkness was their night. Darkness was their day. And Darkness was the light that blew them away. **_

**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and sadly do not own any one of her fabulously fabricated characters, plot, and world. (Although I would like to claim Sirius as my own… My birthday is coming up in a few months after all…)**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End**

_Darkness is the night_

_Darkness is the day_

_Darkness will be the light_

_That will blow us away_

* * *

It was the first of September. 10:30 in the morning, thirty minutes before the Hogwarts Express departed from Kings Cross Station.

She was still in bed, having only fallen asleep a few hours before.

_Nightmares._

He was still in bed, having only arrived home at the crack of dawn.

_Partying._

**10:45**

She was groaning as a house elf frantically shook her.

_"Miss! Miss Alethea must get out of bed or she shall miss the train!"_

_ "Five more minutes Flippy," _

_ "Miss will have to floo to Professor Mcgonigill's office if Miss does not get ready! And tis will not have been the first time!"_

He was groaning as an irate Remus Lupin frantically rushed into his room. _"Hurry up mate! We'll be stuck flooing into McGonagall's office again if you don't get that arse out of bed!"_

_ "Fuck off Moony! My head hurts!" _

_ "Here. Hangover potion. Down it and be out in five,"_

_ "Ow! Watch where you throw that bloody thing!"_

**10:50**

She waltzed down the stairs of the grand mansion; hair tousled, jeans dirty.

_"Miss Alethea! You is forgotten yous shoes!"_

_ "Shit. I'll be right back"_

_ "And your jacket Miss. Alethea!" _

He waltzed down the stairs of the large, but comfy Potter house, stubble evident on his face.

_"Damnit Padfoot! Where's your shirt?" _

_ "Fuck. Sorry mate, wait a sec yeah?" _

_ "And your shoes!"_

**10:55**

She was stuffing her feet into her sneakers, toothbrush in mouth.

_"Hurry up Miss! Flippy is made a sandwich for Miss Alethea," _

_ "Phanks Misshy," _

_ "And Flippy is packed Miss Alethea's trunk and purse,"_

He was stuffing his mouth with Mrs. Potter's legendary pancakes.

_"Alright Padfoot! Stop eating will you? We packed a whole stack of them for the train ride there,"_

_ "Shanks Moony," _

_ "Do you have your trunk? We really need to get going… Mr. Potter has been ready to apparate us for an entire hour…"_

**10:57 **

She tripped over her undone shoelaces and ran her cart into a wall.

He slammed his head into a wall, thinking that it was the barrier between Platform 9 and 10. It was actually Platform 5 and 6.

**10:58**

She dropped her trunk and her gigantic owl cage, must to his loud protest.

He stopped to eye the arse of a raven-haired girl as she fumbled to pick up some fallen luggage.

**10:59**

She ran onto the train, a second before the doors closed.

He slipped onto the Express, as the crimson doors began to shut and the train's whistle hummed to life.

* * *

He was Sirius Black. Five-foot-nine, with an ego to match.

Eyes grey, like the early dawn.

And she was Alethea Winters. Hair as dark as the night was black.

Eyes blue like a sea of sapphires.

He was the most popular student at Hogwarts.

And she was virtually unknown

He was loud.

He screamed.

Screamed at his blood-purist family.

Screamed at the unfairness life thrust upon him.

Screamed until his throat felt like sandpaper, until the room shook and the windows rattled

And then when he was alone, he would cry.

In silence.

And she was silent.

Silent to the coming wind.

Silent to the impending fall.

Silent when her friends turned their backs

Silent until her brain exploded with frustration

And when she was alone, she would scream.

But then no one could hear her.

And no one would hear her.

* * *

It would be the last year for both Alethea and Sirius at Hogwarts. For the past six years, Hogwarts was a home for both of them, a place of warmth so desperately wanted from the cold loneliness of their families. It was funny how differently they hid the pain though. Sirius buried his soul within the façade of a player. Drowned his sorrows in firewhisky and tried to find love in the multitude of women that shared his bed. Alethea withdrew from the world completely, finding peace in chatter and noise but never quite being able to join in. She found solace in knowing that other people existed besides her. It was an odd sense of cruelty, the torture of being surrounded with people so full of life and energy whilst she herself was frozen, numb. But the pain was preferred over numbness. Feeling nothing was infinitely worse than any amount of pain. Or at least that was what she stubbornly told herself.

Soon enough, the Hogwarts Express slowed down its wheels and pulled into Hogsmeade Station. Students filed off the train in bunches, the first years giggling with nerves, the seventh years walking habitually towards the carriages.

Alethea was one of the first ones off the train. Getting off late meant having to awkwardly ask a group of people if she could share their carriage. People usually left her alone if she was the first on a carriage. But then again there were always exceptions. The Marauders- a group of Hogwarts four greatest pranksters: Remus 'Moony' Lupin, Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew, James 'Prongs' Potter, and of course, Sirius 'Padfoot' Black. They were exceptions to every single rule ever created and defied every law in physics, (did wizards even have physics? Probably not)

"Hello there sweet thing, mind if we crash with you?" Sirius asked, as he opened the door of the Thestral-pulled carriage, and sat down beside Alethea.

"Doesn't seem like I have much of a choice do I?" was the cynical reply. Immediately after saying that Alethea internally scowled. What a way to impress the first people to talk to you in months, she berated herself. _Relax_.

"Don't mind him. Sirius is a big prat. I'm Remus," He presented his hand towards her, lips turning up into a grin. Remus had sandy blonde hair and green eyes that held a mischievous twinkle to them. His face was very handsome but with a kind of weariness to it, as if he's been ill for a long time. Nonetheless, there was a very gentle and sweet demeanor to Remus, one that tickled the fancy of quite a few girls in Hogwarts. It was honestly a shame that he didn't quite seem to realize his self worth and was quite a deal shyer than James Potter or Sirius Black- the most popular boys at school.

Alethea shook the outstretched hand briefly. "Yes I know. You four are quite the talk at school," she replied.

"Didn't know that you followed up on us," Sirius winked.

"You'd be surprised at how many girls gush about you Black. And how loud they can be,"

Sirius laughed (which actually sounded more like a bark), his grey eyes lighting up with mirth. "You're funny. How have I not met you before?"

"Well, it's not as if you talk to anything that isn't blonde, hot, and willing to shag at the closest broom closet. Since I do not fit into any of those categories, I haven't seen any opportunity to meet."

"Well. It's usually those girls that are the easiest to sway" Sirius said, running his hand through his long hair.

"And it's quite evident that you can't charm any other girl except for those already rolling at your feet," she taunted, a somewhat Slytherin smirk unfolding on her face.

"Don't deny my flirting abilities. I could charm the knickers off of any girl I wanted," replied Sirius, arrogantly, although not without reason. Sirius Black could have been the most beautiful man on the planet. He was dark, handsome, and had that dangerous aura that girls tended to swoon over. His voice was low, his words as smooth as silk. Oh yes, Sirius Black could definitely get anyone he wanted in bed. And he very often did.

"I am not in the habit of accepting everything people tell me. Nor am I in the habit of listening to rumours,"

"So you deny it?"

"I'm suggesting a more first hand experience. After all, actions do speak louder than words," Alethea replied, with a small wink.

"Are you flirting with me, sweet beautiful lady?" Sirius said, smirk growing on his handsome face.

At this comment, she leaned into Sirius and whispered into his ear in a low voice, "I am merely trying to help you prove your point, sweetheart. Strictly professional, no flirting I promise,"

By this time, the carriages had arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Alethea promptly disembarked. Sirius remained in his seat, still trying to figure out exactly what had happened in the past five minutes. A second's recollection had him grinning from ear to ear and he hopped off the carriage, hand wrapped around James' shoulder. There was a strange dreaminess to the way that he spoke and there seemed to be a spring in his step. Sirius Black, infamous womanizer, had just fallen in love.

Later on that night, after the Welcome Feast was reduced to a pile of bones and crumbs, the students at Hogwarts settled down into their beds and closed their eyes for the night.

Of course, the Maurauders have always been exceptions to the norm. It should therefore, serve as no surprise to anybody that they were not in bed. Rather, they were partying in their dormitory with butterbeer, cigarettes and some good old muggle vodka, a _Silencio_ shielding them from the rest of the sleeping world.

"So Padfoot, who was that girl you were hitting up on the carriage ride?" James said, as the boys had settled down from their rambunctious earlier activities, which included jumping on the beds and swinging from the bedposts. A few shots in and an adrenaline filled half an hour later, the Maurauders were now sitting and chatting on the floor.

"Have no idea really, never seen her before. I don't know how it's possible! Such a beauty and I don't even know her name? It's simply atrocious," Sirius replied taking a draft from his cigarette. "Moony, do you have any idea who she is?"

"I'm sure that I've seen her somewhere before. I definitely recognize those magnificent blue eyes but I just can't seem to draw a name,"

"Shame, I'll keep a look out tomorrow morning I suppose. Everyone needs to eat no?" Sirius muttered, mostly to himself. "Or maybe not this girl,"

"Maybe she's an early riser, Padfoot. You only reach breakfast ten minutes before class starts anyways," James piped in, as he stood up and walked towards his bed. "Anyways, I'm beat. If I'm late to Minnie's class tomorrow morning, she'd skin me alive!"

The other boys chuckled softly before they too silently crawled into their beds. Soon only Sirius was left sitting on the red carpet, with bottles and wrappers littered around him. He sighed and climbed into bed as well. He had a nagging feeling that he had seen her before. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember when or where. Nevertheless, he vowed that he would get to know her, and that thought soothed him, allowing his body to rest and his soul to dream.

* * *

The Great Hall was bustling the next morning. There were students making out at the tables, (much to the disgust of those around them). There were students stuffing their mouths with a less than appealing mixture of pancakes, bacon, and waffles, washing them down with a chug of pumpkin juice, (say, doesn't that look like James Potter?) There were students frantically flipping through gigantic books, trying to squeeze in a little information before their first period class, (unsurprisingly, most of these people were at the Ravenclaw table).

And then there was Sirius Black, sitting beside his three best friends, with his black hair deliciously messy and his tie hanging loosely from his neck.

A few girls around the Gryffindor table swooned.

He paid them no attention and continued to gaze into the distance, stirring the spoon in his porridge absentmindedly. James looked onto him with concern.

"You alright there mate? Can't imagine what you would be doing with a bowl of porridge. You swore you'd never touch that stuff again," James teased.

After a few seconds had passed and Sirius made no move to reply, James got frustrated, "Hello? Padfoot?" James leaned across the table and smacked him in the face. Sirius blinked in surprise.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" He said, touching his cheek gingerly.

"What's gotten into you today? You're not eating, not cracking jokes, not teasing me about Lily; you're not even excited about the prank we're going to pull! You're not still thinking about _her_ are you?"

Sirius grabbed his knapsack and stood up abruptly.

"I've got to get to class. See you guys later,"

James looked up at Sirius incredulously. "Class doesn't start until another twenty minutes!" he exclaimed, but Sirius was already halfway out the door.

"Blimey, he's smitten!" James said, stunned.

"Never thought I'd see the day that Sirius would be speechless over a bird. Not with him preaching to us about the ludicrousness of love and marriage and all," Remus piped in.

"And I was so sure that Severus would wash his hair first!" James retorted, sniggering. Peter threw his head back in laughter. Remus just rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked upwards nonetheless.

* * *

Back in the Gryffindor seventh year girl's dormitory, all was quiet. The curtains to the four-poster beds were all opened, revealing an assortment of pajamas and random undergarments skewed around the beds and the floors.

All except for a lone bed pushed against the wall furthest from the door. The curtains remained stubbornly shut; it's luscious velvet walls sheltering whoever lay behind them. But then, suddenly, a hand reached out and pulled open the curtains. A frantic girl bounced out of bed and rushed into the washroom, her hair flying behind her.

A few minutes later, said girl had emerged from the bathroom and rushed to put on her uniform.

Two minutes later, she had grabbed her backpack and was running down the stairs to the common room.

Of course, she failed to realize that her socks were uneven, her tie was undone, and the buttons on her shirt were mismatched.

But then again, one must congratulate her for getting ready in a matter of minutes. It is a right change from the rest of the room's inhabitants, whom had all gotten up at the crack of dawn to do their hair and their makeup. It was their last, first day of school after all. Who could blame them?

Anyhow, by now the girl had rushed out of the Gryffindor Tower and was racing through a hallway, her heeled oxfords clicking against the stone floor. Finally, she halted to a stop and slowly opened the door. It creaked loudly and she winced.

A hoard of students turned around, craning their necks to see who was brave enough as to miss the first day of a NEWTS class. The professor, a stern looking witch in a pointy hat also stared sternly at the door.

She gulped; her professor was not a woman one wanted to cross. She braced for impact.

"Miss Winters, how good of you to join us! I am glad to see that you have had a long night's sleep! Feeling refreshed enough to come to my class now have you? A full twenty minutes late! Were you too concerned with your beauty sleep that you have failed to remember that this is your seventh year? That you have _NEWTS_ to take in a mere ten months time?" She flicked her wand and the door behind her closed with a loud bang. Whispers broke out amongst the students. "Twenty points from Gryffindor,"

The poor girl stood awkwardly at the door. She strained her neck to find an empty seat. All of them were full; Transfiguration was an essential course and as such very popular. Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, her stern expression unwavering.

"Well? Would you care to take a seat? Or are you so intent on wasting even more valuable class time?

"Sorry professor," she muttered, walking down a random aisle and trying to find an empty desk. To her luck, she spotted a free seat somewhere in the middle. She quickly dropped her bag and slid into it.

"Well, now that Miss Winters has settled in, we can continue with our lesson! As I was saying, NEWTS level Transfiguration is no easy course! It will require hard work, focus, and concentration…" The rest of McGonagall's lecture began to melt down into an ambient buzz, as Alethea Winters slowly started dozing off.

What seemed like a mere second later, Alethea felt someone poke her side. She jolted awake, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She looked up and saw a pair of pale grey eyes staring amusedly back at her. Apparently class was over.

"I don't know how you survive through Binns' class if you are snoring through Minnie's." He said, laughing slightly.

"Does anyone stay awake in that class? Wait. Does anyone still _take_ that class?" she replied in faux shock.

"Lily does, but I think she's a special case,"

"She must be a _very_ special one then. Who knew that one could actually listen and understand what that wizard- ghost thing is saying?"

Alethea scooped up her bag and began to make her way out the door, flashing Sirius a small smile.

"Wait!" he yelled running after her. "I never got your name!"

She paused for a second and seemed to contemplate about something. Finally she responded with a simple, "Alethea" before disappearing behind the large wooden door.

Sirius pulled himself into a wide grin.

_"I finally know her name!" _he thought, before he too gathered up his things and made his way out of class. The stupid smile still lingering on his face.

Little did Sirius realize that he had fallen head over heels for the girl with the raven hair and sapphire blue eyes.

_And thus marked the beginning of the end._

* * *

**Authors Note: Thanks for reading everyone! :) Link to the tumblr for **_**Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon **_**will be available in my bio. Check it out if you'd like ^^**

**xxx- LordessV**


	2. No Turning Back

**Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon**

* * *

**Summary: **_**Darkness was their night. Darkness was their day. And Darkness was the light that blew them away. **_

**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and sadly do not own any one of her fabulously fabricated characters, plot, and world. **

* * *

**Chapter 2: No Turning Back**

_Let's get out of this town, baby we're on fire__  
__Everyone around here seems to be going down, down, down__  
__If you stick with me, I can take you higher, and higher_

-_The Lucky Ones_, Lana Del Rey

* * *

The room was dark and cold.

There were no windows

There were no doors

She was on her knees

She looked up

A pair of blood red eyes stared back at her

And then Alethea Winters woke. The thick Hogwart blankets seemed to choke her. She frantically tried to get them off. Cold, sticky sweat clung onto her like a leach. She ran to the shower and let the hot water rush over her, rinsing her of the dream.

Alethea was no stranger to horrendous nightmares. They plagued her almost every night. She dreamed of her mother abandoning her, pleading on her knees, begging for mercy. But this was the first time that she had this particular nightmare. She had never, to her recollection, been in that cold, stone room before. Nor had she ever seen anyone with crimson eyes.

She glanced at her small muggle watch, one of the only muggle devices that worked within Hogwarts. It read 1:30 AM. She sighed. _Well, I missed dinner for sure. _Alethea pondered for a second, thinking whether she should just try to go back to bed. Her stomach rumbled in protest. Giving in to her empty stomach, she tiptoed her way past the rest of her sleeping dorm mates and walked down the stairs. A few minutes later, she came within sight of the painting of a fruit bowl, which led to the Hogwarts Kitchens. She raised a finger, tickled the pear, and walked in. Immediately the aroma of roasts, bread, and soup wafted towards her, seducing her senses. Soon after, a house elf _popped_ and arrived in front of her.

"And what can Moppy do for Miss Alethea?" the elf said, bowing deeply.

"Some comfort food please, Moppy, I've had a nightmare," Alethea replied, smiling warmly. She was very fond of the house elf and had spent many nights talking to her by the fire.

"Of course Miss. Alethea! Moppy is pleased to serve!" Moppy replied happily, and rushed to bring the requested food to _Miss. Alethea_.

Alethea made her way to the small wooden table by the cackling fire. To her surprise and slight dismay, there was a figure sitting with his back to her nursing a bottle of firewhiskey. She froze, unsure of what to do. Never before had she bumped into another student in the Kitchens before, much less so late at night. In fact, she didn't even realize that other people knew how to get in there. Suddenly, he turned and the two stared at each other for a moment before he burst into a big smile.

"Alethea! Would've never thought you'd be here so late! Not such a good girl are we now, huh?"

"Never said that I was, Sirius. Are you finished? I could come back later if you'd like," She replied somewhat coldly, standing beside him with her arms crossed. She really didn't want to barge in on his 'me time' and she really didn't have the energy to try and get him to leave.

"What? Don't be ridiculous. Sit down! I just got here," Sirius said, extending his arm out towards the free chair in front of him. He didn't understand why she didn't want to sit with him. _Perhaps she just thinks that I'm a playboy. _He thought bitterly.

She hesitated slightly. _Why would he want to talk to me?_ _He hates me!_ "Are you sure? Maybe I'll just get my food and eat in my dorm…" Alethea muttered, as she began to motion for Moppy to send the food up to her bed.

"And wake up everyone else? Come on Alethea! I don't bite!" he teased. "Just sit! I promise I'm not as big of an annoying prat as everyone thinks I am," _At least. _He thought. _I hope I'm not_.

Moppy suddenly arrived with a tray full of food. There was a plate of chicken legs, some sandwiches, lamb chops, a bowl of soup, a mince pie, some pumpkin juice, and a treacle tart for dessert. Alethea's jaw dropped at the sight. The tray was so full and so tall that poor Moppy was struggling to carry it. She finally managed to get the tray on the table with some difficulty and some help from Sirius.

"Please enjoy yous food, Miss. Alethea, Mr. Black. Should yous be needing anything else?" She asked with a deep bow.

"I don't think so. Thanks so much Moppy!" Alethea replied. Moppy bowed once again before disappearing with a loud _pop_! Alethea looked at Sirius for a long moment, as she considered her dilemma. If she stayed, she would risk embarrassing herself and intruding on Sirius, someone she was sure hated her already. If she left, she would appear very rude, particularly after Sirius had personally invited her to dine with him. Plus, Moppy had given her way too much food to finish on her own. _Perhaps Sirius is hungry…_ Alethea decided to let her reservations go and sat down back down. "I'm sure you're a much bigger prat. Just saying,"

Sirius put his hand over his heart dramatically. "Now why would you have such negative impressions on me, my fair lady? What have I done to hurt you?"

_"Everything,_" she thought hatefully but quickly pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. "Your reputation precedes you Mr. Black,"

"Does it now?" he said with a smirk. "And what do people say about the great Sex God?"

"Well, Alicia Clearwater says that you're the biggest, fattest, most annoying person to have ever set foot on this planet and that she hates, hates, hates, hates you," Alethea said, in a high pitched tone with exaggerated hand gestures.

"Alicia? Don't think I know her…" Sirius replied in a somewhat confused manner. "What does she look like?"

"Short, blonde, blue eyes. She sits behind you in Charms or something,"

Sirius looked at Alethea for a long minute before coming to a sudden realization of who this 'Alicia Clearwater' was.

"Oh! Clearwater! I remember her, made out with her in a broom cupboard a few times," Sirius paused. "She hates me?" he added in a quiet, hurt voice.

Alethea's heart dropped. She never realized that Sirius actually had _feelings_ for Clearwater. She always assumed that Alicia was just another one of his two-week flames. Apparently she was wrong.

"Why? You fancy her or something?" Alethea ventured weakly as she twiddled her fingers slightly, her heart sinking.

"No. I just like to be dramatic. Must be the Black genes in me. Mother's always over exaggerates everything," Sirius replied, leaning back into his chair, smirking.

Alethea felt her world lightened up a bit. Relief poured through her. She smiled. "I never really thought that you did. After all, you didn't even know who she was!" They both chuckled. Sirius leaned back in his chair. Alethea took a big bite out of her pie.

He tried to steal a chicken leg.

She slapped his hand.

He gasped.

She stuck her tongue out.

He got up and walked over to her.

She looked up.

He leaned closer.

Her heart raced.

And then he tickled her.

And then she screamed.

And he laughed.

She thought that she had never heard a more beautiful sound.

Alethea and Sirius continued to talk deep into the night. Sirius told Alethea about the pranks that he pulled. She told him about her favorite muggle movies. They gushed at the magic of muggle cinema. They talked about their favorite bands. She told him that she owned every _House Elf _record released. He told her that he wanted to marry her. Their hearts beat rapidly. Butterflies partied in their stomachs. And they sat there for a long moment, looking at each other, neither of them uttering a single word. They may not have known it at that point but their ship had sailed long ago. It had seen rough storms and there would be harsher ones to come. But they couldn't stop, not now. Not ever.

_There was no turning back now. _

"Are you going to go to bed?" Alethea blurted out at around 5 am. The two had been sitting in silence for the past while. They had recently just calmed down from a giggle fest and were still trying desperately to catch their breath.

"Yeah. Probably. Got classes tomorrow morning after all," came the reply, followed up by a loud yawn. Sirius grinned sheepishly. Alethea looked dejected.

"Think you could push sleep for another hour?" She asked. "There's something that I really want you to see,"

Sirius flashed another one of his infamous smirks. Alethea's heart missed a beat. "You know what I would really like to see? You, naked,"

Alethea blushed furiously. "Get your head out of the gutter Black! It's nothing of the sort," she retorted.

"Well. Then I guess it's not really worth seeing," Sirius replied as he got out of his chair. "I'm off to bed. You coming?"

"Push bed for an hour. I promise you won't regret it,"

She grabbed Sirius's arm firmly.

"Come," She said. And Sirius had no choice but to oblige.

The pair walked silently through the empty corridors. She led them through the long and winding hallways, up the exact staircase (and expertly avoided the nasty trick staircases that had nothing better to do but change course suddenly so that you landed exactly opposite of where you wanted to go.) He wondered why exactly she knew this route so well. _"Guess she must explore the halls by herself a lot._" He thought. "_I wonder why she's up so late…" _Soon enough, they reached the highest point of Hogwarts; The Astronomy Tower.

"What are we doing here? Stargazing?" Sirius inquired, confused. "I'm not really in the mood to do Astronomy homework right now, Winters. If you brought me all the way up here to show me a bunch of useless constellations then I swear I'll-"

"Don't be ridiculous you dolt. It's almost 5 am. It's not night anymore," Alethea said, cutting him off. "Come on! We shouldn't miss a single moment of it."

_What could we not miss a moment of? What could possibly be so magnificent that-_

A breathtaking sight cut off Sirius' thoughts. It was the sunrise: a gigantic fiery ball of light rising from the horizon, painting the sky with brilliant shades of red and orange. The light twinkled and danced on the Black lake beautifully. Colour, light, hope, they all exploded into the sky and into Sirius' heart. All of the tension, the pain, the fear instantly drained from him and instead, he was filled with an abundance of joy and happiness. He looked over at Alethea and silently thanked her a million times over for showing him such beauty. She looked back at him with a smug expression.

They stood there for a few more moments, mesmerized by the brilliance of the world around them. They were content to just stay there in silence. But unlike before, it was a comforting one. There were no words that could describe the sight before them. And there were no words that needed to. Its magnificence was undeniable. It did not need the embellishment of fanciful words and phrases. It spoke for itself.

"Thank you," He whispered.

"You're welcome," She replied.

And then in the heat of a moment, Sirius took a deep breath. He threw caution to the wind and leaned in to kiss her.

Fireworks exploded in their hearts.

* * *

The next morning, Sirius did not come down to breakfast. Remus looked at James inquiringly. James shook his head.

"Don't know Moony. When I tried to wake him he told me to fuck off," James said as he helped himself to an enormous plate of food. Remus watched him with slight disgust as he began shoveling the food into his face as fast as he could.

"Did you leave the hangover potion next to him?" Remus asked.

"Yes. He'll probably be down in time for class. Even he doesn't want to piss off Minnie. He needs to pass in order to get into Aurour training,"

"You know what made him drink himself into a stupor this time?"

James shrugged, loudly chewing his food.

"His family probably," James said with his mouth still full of food. A fiery red head a few seats beside him almost turned green. He flashed a dumb grin at her, to which she simply looked away. Unfazed, he turned back to his conversation with Remus.

"He'll be fine," James insisted.

Remus didn't look too sure, convinced that Sirius' disowning had hurt him a lot more than he let on.

Sirius had been on shaky grounds with his family ever since he started Hogwarts. Being sorted into Gryffindor fueled a fury in his parents that only grew and intensified over the years. His flat-out rejection of their beliefs and customs didn't help matters either. They argued constantly. Disturbing threats flowing out like a tap that never turned off. Prized possessions were smashed. Hexes flew. Blows were made. And feelings were hurt.

Regulus (Sirius' younger brother) and the family house elves watched the fight with barely contained fear. Raised voices and insults flourished.

Sometimes Mrs. Black burst into tears at the 'disappointment of her first born'.

Sometimes Mr. Black pushed Sirius out of his office and slammed the door shut.

But mostly, it ended with Sirius storming out of the house in a fit of rage.

Except for this fight. This fight was louder, crueler, and more violent than any other argument in the Black household. Sirius' mother was livid, his father murderous, and Sirius… Well let's just say that his defiance had reached an all time high.

He went into his room, stuffed as much of his belongings into his school trunk as he could, and left. He told his parents that he had enough and that he was leaving.

They begged and they pleaded. His mother cried. His brother begged. His father threatened. Even the house elves tried to convince him not to go. He didn't listen.

He returned home a few days later to retrieve the rest of his belongings. It was then that he saw that he had been blasted off of the family tree. And it was then that his father told him coldly that he was disowned.

No one tried to stop him from leaving the second time. And he didn't look back, even though he desperately wanted to.

Sirius put up a brave front, sheepishly asking the Potters if he could intrude upon their hospitality for the rest of the summer, and claimed not to give a Newts Ear what his parents did to him.

But of course, it hurt. Sirius never expected that his family would disown him. That they would leave him penniless. That they would never speak to him again. It hurt more than he let himself admit. And underneath the disbelief, the rage, the anger, was the bitter realization that he had brought it upon himself. That he had chosen to leave. And then there came the guilt. Guilt that he had brought pain into his family. That he had made his mother cry. That he broke his relationship with his younger brother. That he made Regulus cry as he begged him not to leave.

There was pain. Lots of it. But he didn't admit it to anyone. Hell, he didn't even admit it to himself. He told himself that he was happy to be disowned and that he didn't give a rats arse what happened to his family. They could disappear off of the face of the earth and he wouldn't give a damn.

But just because he didn't accept the pain, didn't mean that it wasn't there. It burned him every single day. He replayed the memory over and over in his head. The memory of his mother weeping on the floor, his brother begging him not to leave, his father threatening him to come back, the memories haunted him every single moment. But he was far too stubborn and proud to go back and ask for forgiveness.

And so he struggled on, pushing all of the bitterness and the pain and shoving them to the back of his mind. It was easier this way. Because contrary to Alethea and the numbness she had felt for her entire life, Sirius had always felt too much. The emotions exploded within him. And they made his life complicated. And it hurt. And so he decided that it was better not to feel anything. It was easier, less painful.

To compensate, Sirius partied a lot. He hooked up with girls a lot. He smoked a lot. He drank a lot. And he told himself that he would not care for anyone ever again. Except for the Marauders, whom he was certain would never, ever, _ever_, betray him.

But when a certain blue-eyed girl suddenly waltzed into his life, his heart took over. The emotions that he had tried so hard to freeze came back to life. He couldn't help but feel for the girl. Her mystery intrigued him. Her sarcasm made him laugh. Her beauty took his breath away. But her heart was what stole him. He admired Alethea's ability to forgive. He admired her thirst to live. He admired her kindness. He saw the pain that lingered behind her eyes. Yet he saw her willingness to give life a second chance. And he wanted that. He desperately wanted to be able to move on. He hated that he was running around in circles, never coming to terms with his agony and thus never being able to escape it. And that was his love for her. Perhaps Fate decided to curse him with more heartbreak. Who would love a man like him?

A smaller, fainter part of his mind however, whispered: _Or perhaps, they sent a blessing. And she will be the silver lining you have been searching for all this time_.

* * *

**So there's chapter 2! Hope you guys enjoyed 3 Leave a review if you feel up to it ^^ **

**xxx LordessV**


	3. So Terribly Alive

**Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon**

* * *

**Summary: **_**Darkness was their night. Darkness was their day. And Darkness was the light that blew them away.**_

**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and sadly do not own any one of her fabulously fabricated characters, plot, and world.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: So Terribly Alive**

_Who knows what the future will bring_

_or what future we'll grasp? _

_All we can hope, is that what will come, will come _

_Not in black, or in white, and or even grey_

_But in __**colour**_

* * *

_The next morning, Sirius did not come down to breakfast. Remus looked at James inquiringly. James shook his head. _

_"Don't know Moony. When I tried to wake him he told me to fuck off…"_

Sirius Black did not show up for his first period Transfiguration class that day.

James, Remus, and Peter looked at each other suggestively. They waggled their eyebrows and knowingly portrayed a look that said _definitely hung-over_. But they assumed that he would stumble his way into their second period Charms class with Professor Flitwick. Charms was one of his favorite classes after all.

Sirius Black did not show up for his second period Charms class.

James, Remus, and Peter looked at each other questioningly. They raised their eyebrows, as if to say _must be some hangover_. But they firmly believed that Sirius would show up for lunch. They were certain that the ravenous seventeen year old would crawl, drag, or roll himself into the Great Hall. In all of Sirius' years at Hogwarts, he had never missed lunch, _ever_. It was, in his opinion, the most important meal of the day (although he did proclaim that at dinner as well). Nevertheless, Sirius Black was not known to miss a meal and as such, the rest of the Marauders were certain that he would turn up.

Sirius Black did not show up for lunch.

James, Remus, and Peter's jaws dropped. They waited and waited, making snide comments about Sirius' antics. They joked and imitated his drunken walk from the Hogwarts Kitchens to the Gryffindor Tower. But as lunch dragged on with no sign of Sirius, the three best friends wondered what had happened to him. Remus asked James if Sirius seemed ill. James claimed that he didn't think so. James asked if Sirius had a girl in his bed with him. Remus said that he wouldn't put it past Sirius. The two shared a dry smile. _Oh Sirius_.They decided to go up to check on their fourth member; only the lunch bell had rung and they begrudgingly went to their third period. Surely, Sirius wouldn't skip that as well, they told themselves.

Sirius Black did not show up for his third period Ancient Runes class.

James, Remus, and Peter rushed to hassle Lily Evans about Sirius' attendance in Runes since neither of them took the course. Lily shook her head. The three-quarter Marauders looked at each other in concern. Sirius Black had never slept in this late before. James Potter decided that he would go up to check on Sirius and to kick his lazy arse out of bed. However, they spotted Filch from the corridors and knew that they would land in detention quicker than you could say _Mrs. Norris _if they were caught outside of class. The four boys reluctantly parted their ways and headed towards their next period.

Sirius Black did not show up for his fourth period Potions class.

James and Remus (Peter didn't make it into NEWT Potions) looked at each other worriedly. James was sure that Sirius was in the bed that morning (as he had roughly told him to 'piss off' when James tried to wake him). As such, he couldn't possibly be passed out in some unused broom closet. The only logical conclusion was that Sirius had taken ill somehow, although Remus pointed out that Sirius had been fine the night before. James stared at Remus exasperatedly. Remus massaged his temples. Sirius couldn't possibly still be sleeping, could he?

Sirius Black did not show up for dinner.

James, Remus, and Peter were now seriously anxious. It was unlike Sirius to miss _any_ meal of the day, so it was incomprehensible how he could miss _all three meals_ if he was not seriously, seriously sick. The three boys wolfed down their food and then rushed up the stairs (expertly dodging the naughty moving staircases), burst through the portrait hall (ignoring the Fat Lady's cries of protest), and raced to their room. Just as they were about to explode into the dorm, Remus slowed them down.

"We wouldn't want to startle him if he's feeling ill," he said.

The boys agreed, took a second to calm down, before listening at the door for signs of Sirius. They were hoping to hear either snoring, extremely loud and off-tune singing, or extremely loud and (for the boys) awkward moaning and panting. Any of the above would suggest that Sirius was alive and well, and that they could barge into the room and berate him.

What they heard was something that they were not expecting. They heard a female voice. It was soft, gentle, _ethereal_. It was unique. None of the boys could assign a name to the heavenly voice. It wasn't fiery and confident like that of Lily Evans. It wasn't sharp and blunt like that of Marlene McKinnon. Nor was it bubbly and sweet like that of Andrea Thomas. The Marauders had never heard it before.

And what they heard after that was something even more foreign. _A laugh_, Sirius' laugh. But it was a variation that rarely graced the earth. It was far softer and much more genuine than what the three boys were used to hearing. James and Remus let out a simultaneous smile. They were glad that Sirius had let his guard down. They knew that Sirius had adopted a player façade in order to protect his beaten down heart. They had heard all too often the shallow laugh that Sirius often let out when he was with his usual 'flings'. It was too long since they had heard Sirius genuinely laugh, they decided.

"You guys look awfully funny crouching behind your own door like that," Nathan Ross, a sixth year, said. "What exactly are you doing?"

James looked at Ross embarrassedly. "Er-" he stammered.

Nathan cocked an eyebrow.

"Padfoot has a bird in there," James burst out.

Nathan let out a roar of laughter. "Of course. I should've known. Well, good luck to you fellas then, I hear Black has quite the stamina," he joked as he walked away, shaking his head as he left.

"That's it. I'm not being kicked out of my own room!" James declared as he opened the door. Remus and Peter lingered behind.

Sirius and 'the girl' sat on the carpeted floor, chatting intimately. They sat cross-legged, leaning close together. Beside them lay two half-drunken bottles of butterbeer and a half-eaten plate of house elf cookies. The atmosphere was warm, like a cup of hot chocolate on a freezing winter night. And for the first time, James swore that Sirius was in love, and he was glad to see that the girl beside Sirius had the exact same expression in her eyes. His heart warmed significantly. It was a special feeling, watching your brother in all but blood find such happiness, especially after such a troubling summer. He smiled.

"Ahem," Remus coughed from behind James' frame. "Sirius?"

Sirius looked up in surprise. Joy radiated from every fiber of his being. "Moony! You're looking good today! Prongs, Lily would be crazy not to fall for you! And of course Peter, your hair is fantastic slicked back like that! Isn't it such a glorious day? Alethea, let's go out and take a walk by the lake. Wouldn't it feel amazing to have the sun beat down on our backs and-"

"Padfoot, it's eight o'clock at night you idiot! We've been worried sick about you! First you don't show up to breakfast, then none of your classes! Do you know the horrible scenarios rushing through my mind? I thought that you were devilishly sick! You didn't even go down for lunch or dinner! At that point I was ready to call Madame Pomfrey on you!" Remus exclaimed, his hands waving in exasperation.

A small laugh cut him off. The four boys all turned to the origin. Alethea Winters, having realized that all eyes were on her looked away in embarrassment. The five stood in awkward silence for a while. Finally, it was Peter that spoke first.

"You're the girl in the carriage! The one that Sirius was fawning over!"

Immediately, Sirius extended a hand and covered Peter's mouth. He vehemently told Peter to shut up. Peter obliged at once.

"Why I suppose I am," Alethea replied, chuckling. "Hi, I'm Alethea, Alethea Winters."

"You new here?" James asked. "I've never seen you around,"

"No, I've been here since First Year. I'm just quiet, that's all,"

James looked severely taken aback and his cheeks immediately turned a bright tomato red. He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. Behind him, Remus signed, Peter snickered, and Sirius smirked.

"Oh, sorry. It's uh- it's just that I've never seen you around before and-"

"Don't sweat it," Alethea said, cutting him off with a small smile. "It's not like anyone else notices me either," she finished in a soft voice.

The four boys didn't know what to do at that point. They, being the popular Marauders that they were didn't know what it felt like to be completely disregarded. Although Remus had been bullied and ridiculed as a child, he had never known what it would feel like if the other children in his neighbourhood had ignored him completely. Sirius couldn't imagine how it would feel if his parents were to have treated him as if he wasn't there. And James felt an odd sense of sorrow when he pictured Lily turning a blind eye towards him instead of snapping back at his attempts to ask her out. None of them understood the hurt of being cast aside, for the true opposite of love is not hate but rather cold indifference. None of them could fathom the frustration of numbness, the tragedy of loneliness, and the emptiness of apathy.

Except for Peter Pettigrew that is. He was the fourth member of the Marauders and perhaps the one that no one quite felt belonged. He was silver in the eyes of many, not deserving of being in a group of golden boys. He was constantly in the shadow of everyone. People didn't appreciate his work ethic and intelligence like they did with Remus, people didn't admire his humour and talent for Quidditch like they did with James, and people didn't lust after his ability to sweet talk ladies and natural charm like they did with Sirius. He was just there, nothing more and nothing less. Peter observed everything in silence. He was mediocre at everything. When people asked who Peter was, the response was often blank. Peter was the sidekick, the small person lingering in the shadows. And he knew what indifference felt like. And he knew how it hurt.

But the difference between Peter and Alethea was significant. Alethea became a wallflower on purpose. She disappeared into the shadows to avoid being burned by the blazing sun. She faded into the ashes, longing for company but never being brave enough to step out and seek it. She never got a chance to bask in sunlight, to relish in its warmth. All she felt was its burn and she never wanted to feel it again.

Peter, on the other hand, was a wallflower by nature. He was pushed into the background despite all attempts to move forward. He was like the people in the back of a concert, struggling to squeeze forward but never making it past the middle. He saw the sunlight radiating on his friends faces every day. He saw James score goal after goal in every Quidditch match. He saw Remus ace exam after exam. He saw Sirius charm girl after girl. Watching the warm caress of the sun filled Peter with stone, hard envy. He had never felt its burn and as such only lusted after its touch.

And so, Alethea, although felt empty with the loneliness, accepted it. She depended on the comfort of the darkness. She craved the protective shield of the shadows.

But Peter wanted the light and the glory.

He wanted to walk on the sun

To swim in gold

And to soar in triumph

And he was willing to do anything:

Dance with the devil

Play with fire

And burn.

Peter didn't care, as long as he could break out of the cage surrounding him. He wanted to be great, to achieve greatness, to have greatness thrust upon him. But some people were simply not meant to conquer, but rather to wither away into the shadows until all they disappear into nothingness.

But Peter could not accept this. He would not accept failure. And for him, like so many others, ambition would be his downfall.

And he would not go down alone.

But at the same time, a small voice in his mind reminded him of his friends. He knew that if he wanted the trophy he had to break free from the shadows of his three best friends. He knew that as long as he was part of the Marauders, he would never stand out. But he also remembered the pact they made to never abandon one another, to never betray one another, to be there for one another always. He also remembered their humour and their kindness. And then he was torn. Torn between his loyalty towards his friends and torn between his debilitating thirst for recognition. He feared how far his thirst would drive him. They say that a man can survive without food for weeks, but Peter wasn't starving, he was dying of thirst. And no man can survive without water for more than a few days.

* * *

It turns out that Sirius and Alethea had both waken up at about twelve in the afternoon. They bumped into each other in the common room and decided to ditch the rest of the day. Alethea got Moppy to bring them some refreshments and they spent the rest of the day talking. They were completely enraptured with each other.

After the boys hit Sirius on the head a few times, they called it a truce and James firmly declared a party. Sirius immediately agreed, climbed onto one of the beds and passionately declared for some firewhiskey and crisps.

Remus shook his head and Alethea laughed at Sirius' antics.

And that was how the four Marauders and Alethea, ended up sitting in a circle around the floor, encircled by a vast array of snacks courtesy of the House Elves.

"So… How'd you guys meet?" James asked, flashing Sirius a sly smirk.

"Well, I had a nightmare one night and decided to go down to the Kitchens and get some food. Much to my dismay, I saw Sirius here nursing a bottle of muggle vodka," Alethea replied. "He insisted that I join him and I reluctantly agreed,"

Sirius looked mortally offended. "You _reluctantly_ agreed? Oh no, no, no my dear Alethea, you agreed wholeheartedly!" Sirius exclaimed, dramatically waving his arms around. "I am the Great Sirius Black! And all mortals would jump at the chance to dine with this sex god," Sirius finished triumphantly, running his arms around his torso.

"Well, then I guess I'm no mere mortal then am I? For I, Alethea Winters am a Goddess! Oh yes, all men wish to feast with the Charming, the Beautiful, the Fabulous Alethea Winters!" Alethea countered with a flourish. She stood up, and outstretched her arms seductively before bursting out in laughter and collapsing on the bed behind her.

The other boys joined in and soon enough all five of them were reduced to little more than fits of laughter.

"And I! The Funny, the Brave, the Marvellous, the Sexy, the Charming, the-" James started before Sirius cut him off with a laugh.

"Prongs mate, I think you've got a wee bit too many adjectives there,"

Everyone exploded with enormous fits of laughter. Sirius actually rolled onto his back, Remus doubled over and started pounding the floor, Peter clung onto the bedpost, and James stared incredulously but ended up joining anyways.

And Alethea? Alethea felt warmer and more whole than she had ever felt in her entire life. The sheer joy and love radiated off of the boys. Their smiles were contagious, their laughter infectious. At that point, there wasn't a trace of hurt, or anger, or envy. It was pure happiness, and Alethea loved it. She drank in as much of that moment as she could, for she knew all too well that such moments must be treasured. She laughed along with them, not because the joke was particularly humorous, not because the expression on the boys' faces was particularly funny, but rather because the atmosphere called for laughter. They say that some people cried when they saw other people cry. Alethea laughed when she saw other people laugh. And when she saw the laughter bursting out uncontrollably from the mouths of the only people who had accepted her in years, she could not help herself but join in full force.

It was safe to say that none of the people in that room had felt so inexplicably happy, so free from their demons, so utterly and terribly _alive_ in a very long time. Even

And it would be a long time until they felt the same way again.

* * *

**A.N: Thanks for reading Chapter 3 guys! ^^ Shoot me a review if you feel up to it. Have a great day! Until next time, **

**xxx LordessV**


	4. Love would be Forever

**Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon**

* * *

**Summary: **_**Darkness was their night. Darkness was their day. And Darkness was the light that blew them away. **_

**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and sadly do not own any one of her fabulously fabricated characters, plot, and world. **

* * *

**Chapter 4: Love would be Forever**

_**Take me back to the happier times**_

_**To when life was simple**_

_**To when life was free**_

_**Take me back to the better days **_

_**To when I had blue skies **_

_**To when I had you**_

* * *

Silence can be a ghastly thing, lingering when it is not wanted, piercing when it is painful. Silence comes with hatred. Silence comes with love.

Silence follows a storm.

Silence follows a beautiful day.

And it was there that Sirius and Alethea lay, on the grass beside the Black Lake, in complete and utter silence. But it was comfortable, affectionate, _soothing_. It was unlike anything either of them had ever felt before. It was not the cold absence of caring that Alethea was accustomed to, nor was it the lingering fury of an unfinished fight that Sirius was used to. It was a mother's caress, soft, sweet and welcoming.

The pair lay there for a long while, basking in the glory of the sunshine and in each other's company. Their hands interlocked one another. Sirius closed his eyes. Alethea flipped onto her side and stared at Sirius. Her fingers danced across his arm, her eyes memorized every feature of his face. Sirius opened an eye. He smiled.

"Like what you see?" he said, smirking.

Alethea let out a small chuckle. She ran her fingers through his luxurious hair. "Digging for compliments now are we?" she replied.

"Yes,"

"Well then," Alethea began, before she pressed her lips softly onto Sirius'. She pulled away coyly. "Yes, I like what I see very much,"

And then Sirius captured Alethea into a fiery, passionate kiss. Cupid would have fist bumped the air.

Of course, all good things must come to an end and what better way to end it than with one's friends? Ah friends, the singularly greatest yet most annoying beings to ever enter one's life. You gotta love 'em.

"Oi! Go get a room you two will you? I don't need to see my best mate shove his tongue down another girl's throat. Now, scurry along before I assign you both detention!" James proclaimed proudly, puffing his chest out so that his Head Boy badge was on full display. "Seriously Sirius, that's gross," he continued, as Sirius grabbed Alethea's arse. "Please Sirius! This is indecent!"

He was met by a middle finger. James chuckled. Using all of his might, he hauled Sirius up onto his feet, bringing Alethea up as well. He gave them a small shove and pushed them towards the castle. "Go. Now," James ordered.

The couple obliged. Sirius swept Alethea off her feet (literally) and carried her into the magnificent building, running as fast as his legs would carry him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled lovingly at him. James watched as they grew smaller and smaller, before disappearing altogether. James could not help but smile widely. He truly was glad that his friend was able to find love and have it returned, unlike himself, whose long-standing feelings for Lily Evans remain, sadly unrequited. It was a good day for melancholy thoughts. The air was crisp with the onslaught of autumn, the wind blowing soundly. James stood in the small clearing by the lake alone, pondering life and Lily of course. He could not deny his feelings for her. And as cocky as it may have sounded, James was certain that Lily could grow to love him as well. He knew that they were meant to be together, so what was he doing wrong?

"_Because you're an arrogant toe rag,_" he reminded himself. And for the first time ever, James realized how right Lily had been. He was arrogant and cocky and he had never given Lily any reason to like him. He believed that he had been charming but in honesty, he now felt that he had been stuck-up. He resolved to renounce his old ways. He would show Lily the good inside of him and the man he knew that he was.

_ And then perhaps, Lily will go on a date with me_. James decided, a wave of hope budding inside him.

Ah, Young love, how sweet the sound. It is consuming. It is burning. It is everything. It is foolish and it is irrational. Yet it is strong and it is honest. In a matter of moments, one person grows from becoming nothing to everything, from another face in the hallway to a guardian angel. Such love may end in a horrible slew of events that leave bitterness in the heart. Or it may fade away, once a fierce forest fire, now nothing but burnt embers. Or, to the lucky few, it will be a slow fire, lasting for years.

Or rarer still, it may be immortalized among the stars, glowing brightly for aeons to come.

* * *

Sirius was unusually chipper during dinner that night. A schoolboy smile hung onto his face like a leach. There was a twinkle, a gleam, in his eyes that would not be diminished. He complimented everyone and everything, from the '_vividness of James' tie_' to Professor McGonagall's '_utterly breathtaking hat'_. It was quite the sight. James, Remus, and Peter got quite the chuckle out of it.

Sirius' good mood was further heightened by the appearance of another Gryffindor seventh year. Her hair was slightly dishevelled, her lips slightly swollen, but she was beautiful nonetheless and Sirius' face lit up as soon as he saw her. Indeed, his excitement was clear for all to see as he raced over to her and picked her swiftly, swinging her light frame over his shoulder.

"Sirius fucking Black! You let me down this instant!" she cried pounding her fists into his back. He laughed.

"Not a chance, fair lady," came the reply.

She kicked and she screamed all the way from the door to the Gryffindor table. Sirius' eyes were full of mirth, shining and twinkling with more vivacity than Dumbledore's newest set of robes. He shot her with a coy grin.

"You arse!" she exclaimed, slapping his arm.

"Oh Alethea, you know you love me," Sirius retorted, digging in to his dinner. Alethea looked on incredulously.

"Wha-?" He said, his words muffled by the heap of food in his mouth. Alethea made a disgusted face. "Oh come on, it was all in good fun!"

She maintained her steely composure.

He flashed her his cutest puppy dog eyes.

The two stared at each other, until finally, Alethea gave in.

"Fine. You sir are hereby forgiven,"

"That's what I like to hear," Sirius said in a low voice as he leaned in to kiss her.

A group of girls in the background groaned in disappointment.

"So, are you two like a couple or something now?" Anthony Georgenson, a fellow seventh year, asked. All eyes were now on them.

Alethea and Sirius looked at each other. Alethea was inwardly panicking. They hadn't yet discussed 'what' they were. What would she say? What would he say? Would he proclaim her as his? Or was it all just another fling?

"No," Sirius said firmly.

Alethea's heart sank. _Of course it was all too good to be true_.

The group of girls let out collective sighs of relief.

"Not yet,"

Alethea's ears perked up at the statement. She looked up to see that Sirius had climbed onto the table and was tapping his spoon against his goblet incessantly.

"People, people! Please gather round! Today is a special day for all of us! Some of you may know me as Hogwart's resident playboy. I do not deny the vast number of women I have had ventures with,"

A snort from the background interrupted Sirius' extravagant announcement.

"But I am happy to denounce my old habits. It has all been great fun, however the time is upon us all for change! For a fresh start! For a chance to live life with purpose! With meaning! With a stride in every step that you take!"

"Get on with it will you?" someone in the crowd muttered. Sirius shot him a dirty look.

"Very well then! I would like to formally ask this beautiful young woman beside me, Ms. Alethea Winters, if she would like to be my girlfriend," Sirius paused and stared straight into Alethea's eyes. "Alethea, will you be mine?"

The students started chanting and whistling. They stamped their feet and clapped their hands. "Say yes! Say yes!" they demanded.

_Say yes!_ A voice in Alethea's mind furiously whispered.

Sirius stood there with his arm outstretched waiting expectantly.

The crowd held their breath.

It all came down to this moment.

Alethea took a deep breath and grabbed the waiting hand firmly.

"Yes,"

The Marauder's faces broke into enormous grins.

The crowd cheered exuberantly.

The group of girls wailed.

But to Sirius and Alethea, all they saw was each other. He smiled at her. She smiled back. He pulled her onto the table and into a kiss.

And at that moment, they were together. Their love would never die. It would be there always.

And love would be forever.

* * *

The months flew by after that. Green faded into shades of gold. Leaves caramelized into rich hues of orange and umber. They lingered on the branches for a while, before falling to the ground in a heap of burgundy. Soon the Hogwarts' courtyard became scattered with a light dusting of amber, cranberry, and mahogany. The air was swimming with the tanginess of apples and the spice of pumpkin. The first of the scarves came out, proudly bearing house colours.

The first of the NEWTS work came out, professors blaring about the difficulty of the exams and the hundred and ten percent commitment expected. Even the Marauders were seen collapsing in the common room atop a heap of books and parchment.

Gryffindor won the first match of the season against Ravenclaw.

James surprised everyone by stopping his childish pursuit of Lily, instead opting to remain approachable, but distant. What was even more surprising was Lily's subtle disappointment at James sudden lack of interest.

Then autumn slowly grew into winter. The scattering of leaves was soon replaced with a carpet of white. The heavy cloaks came out with students huddling around the fires in the common rooms, the younger students desperately pleading for warming charms from the upperclassmen. And of course, soon rolled around Christmastime. Hagrid once again hauled in a gigantic tree from the Forbidden Forest. The Professors eagerly added charms and decorations around the school. Students whispered about their plans for the break and the presents they hoped to get. Hogsmeade was bustling with people buying gifts and the like. Even the stone cold Slytherins had an undeniable air of excitement and joy. The whole of Britain was celebrating, singing, and being merry.

Except for one Sirius Black.

He was determinedly _not_ excited for Christmas. In fact, he became extremely irritable, mocking anyone that dared to sing a carol or brag about his or her upcoming Christmas activities.

"We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" James sang loudly as he walked through the common room. "That goes to you Longbottom! And you too McKinnon! And you of course, my Lily-Flower," he continued, shooting everyone a charming smile. "Ah! Sirius! What've you been up to? We missed you after dinner,"

Sirius, who was sitting on a couch by the fireplace, shot James a dirty look. "Piss off," He then returned to flicking small bunched up pieces of parchment into the fire and watching it fade into nothing.

"Woah, what's wrong Padfoot? I thought things were going well with you and Alethea? You sure gave quite the performance asking her out," James said, taking a seat beside Sirius, whom promptly ignored him.

"Okay… so are you excited for Christmas?"

Bad move James.

"What do you think?" Sirius snapped before storming up the stairs, leaving a very confused James behind.

"Wait! Padfoot! What'd I do?" James called out but Sirius had already disappeared. Exasperated, James threw his arms up and sunk back into the couch. Remus, who had just climbed into the portrait hole, went to sit down next to him.

"What's up Prongs? Lily problems again?"

"Sirius problems,"

"Serious problems in the love department eh?" Remus joked.

"No! Serious problems in the Padfoot department!" James exclaimed, even more infuriated than before.

"Well it can't be that bad can it? What's wrong with him now?" Remus replied.

"He's pissed all of a sudden for no reason! He's been bitching about everything and everyone and then I ask him about Alethea and he doesn't reply so then I try to change the subject and ask whether he's excited for Christmas or not and then he goes and storms out of the common room!" James ran his fingers through his hair. He huffed. "Sometimes I just don't understand that guy's mood swings, seriously,"

Remus shook his head slightly. "You really are dense Prongs. No wonder Lily still won't go out with you,"

James looked highly affronted. "What? Not you too! Don't you go calling me dense- "

"Don't be such a prissy queen. Can't you think of any reason why Sirius would in a bad mood around this time?"

James pondered for a minute before shaking his head.

Remus sighed. "Probably because it's almost the Christmas holidays?"

"Why would that be? The holidays are the best time of the year! There's snow and presents and hot chocolate and presents and we get to go home and…" James paused before his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh!" he said simply.

Remus nodded approvingly. "We're all going home but Sirius doesn't have a home to go to,"

"He could come with me! That's it! I'll go and ask him right now!" James decided excitedly, quickly getting up.

Remus grabbed onto his arm before he could move any further. "You can't remember? You and your parents are going skiing in France,"

"Right," James muttered dejectedly. "Well maybe you could-"

"My parents don't like Sirius much. Not after he snuck a bottle of firewhiskey into the house and got completely drunk the last time he visited,"

"Well maybe Peter could-"

"You know that Peter and his mum have been having troubles ever since his father left them," Remus finished, leaving them both feeling quite melancholy indeed.

"Poor Padfoot,"

"Poor Padfoot indeed," Remus agreed as the pair sat before the cackling fire in a heavy silence. Their anticipation for Christmas substantially subdued.

* * *

**Well that's chapter 4! It's a bit shorter than usual and for that I apologize, but it just sort of unfolded like that you know? Promise the next one will be longer ^^ Thank you all very much for reading and please leave a review if you feel up to it! **

**Much love**

**xxx,**

**LordessV**


	5. Christmas I

**Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon**

* * *

**Summary: **_**Darkness was their night. Darkness was their day. And Darkness was the light that blew them away. **_

**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and sadly do not own any one of her fabulously fabricated characters, plot, and world.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Christmas I**

_**If this was the last Christmas, the last snow to fall**_

_** Let's lay in the snow **_

_**Make impressions of angels**_

_**And dance in the moonlight, like stars,**_

_**Twinkling in the darkness**_

* * *

The Hogwarts Express rolled away from Hogsmeade, leaving behind only a cloud of smoke and a light dusting of snow.

Sirius sighed. He kicked at the snow.

It would be the first Christmas he would spend alone. There would be no more hot chocolates with his family by the fire place, no more complaining with Regulus about the ridiculousness of the annual Christmas ball, no more walks through the magnificent Black courtyard. Although he had problems with his family they did have their moments. And despite everything he had a family.

Now he was well and truly alone. There was no one, not James, no Remus, not even Peter. They had of course all tentatively volunteered to stay at Hogwarts with them, but Sirius declined their offers. It would take too much of him to ask them to give up their family for him, especially now that he realized the true value of family. You never know what you're missing until you're missing out after all.

Sirius shoved his fingers into his coat pockets and began the walk back to Hogwarts, deciding that he would take a detour through Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade was truly beautiful during the winter months. Candles dancing, snow falling, people humming a merry tune.

Sirius hated every minute of that walk. The snow was making his coat wet, the wind pierced his face. The candles were a fire hazard, the people sang too loud. He felt like an outsider, a fool walking through its streets; the only one not ecstatic about Christmas. It's always a shame to be miserable, but especially so during the joyous month of December.

His family was probably sneering at him, he thought bitterly. His parents would probably be waiting for Regulus at the station, ready to apparate him home where no doubt the house elves would have prepared a delicious platter of cookies and a hot drink. His mother would tuck Regulus in and tell him how much she had missed him.

"_Would they miss me too?"_ Sirius wondered. Would they feel the emptiness that he felt? Would they feel the strange numbness that consumed him? The odd absence of feeling that was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. He wanted to be angry, to be sad, to scream and shout and denounce his family with vigour. But he couldn't bring himself to do it, couldn't muster the energy. All he felt was loneliness, emptiness, _misery_. Somehow, it made him miss the anger, the joy, the sadness, the anything. Feeling nothing was, in some ways, worse than feeling pain. Pain could be healed, could be fixed, could grow into contentment. But how does one fix something that is not broken? How do you create life without a seed?

The warmth of The Three Broomsticks lulled Sirius into its walls, where he decided to pop in for a drink.

"Firewhiskey please, Madam Rosmerta," Sirius called out as he grabbed a seat by the bar.

He sat there moping, as he waited for his drink, drumming his fingers on the countertop.

"Why Sirius, I've never seen you look so down! What's wrong? Why aren't you on the Hogwarts Express?" Rosmerta asked as she handed over the small glass of amber liquid.

"Got disowned in the summer. No home to go to," was the monotonous reply. Sirius downed the drink in one go, its burn leaving him with a small comfort, letting him know that he was still alive.

"Hogwarts will always be there for you, as will your friends, and also that pretty girl you brought in here a month back. You were so happy then,"

"Well Alethea's gone home, as have the boys. It's just me now, me and the great big castle. Cheers Hogwarts, Happy Christmas!" he muttered sarcastically. He let out another sigh. "I guess it didn't really hit me back then. I was with my friends, my girlfriend. But now, everyone's left. Gone. Back to their families. And only now has it hit me that I don't have a family to go back to,"

Sirius ran the glass between his hands idly.

"Can I have another shot Rosmerta?"

The pretty witch looked back at him sadly. "Alright Sirius, but only one more. Can't have you going back to Hogwarts drunk again, Minerva will have my head!"

Sirius chuckled softly, fondly remembering the times when he and James would sneak into Hogsmeade during the weekends to wander around and get Rosmerta's famous fish and chips. They would usually get a bit to drink and then stagger back to Hogwarts late at night, giggling like maniacs. Needless to say, McGonagall was less than pleased when she caught them stumbling through the halls.

For nostalgia's sake, Sirius also ordered a serving of fish and chips, which he ate in relative silence. The Three Broomsticks was relatively quiet that day, with only a few customers sipping butterbeer by the window. After polishing off the last of his chips and whiskey, he bade Rosmerta farewell. The rest of the walk to Hogwarts seemed, to him, a bit more pleasant after his belly was full.

* * *

After about an hour of walking, at last the magnificent castle was within sight. By then, the snow had begun to fall rather hard, falling from the sky in a never-ending stream of brilliant white. But such numbers of snow meant that a storm was brewing, and so, Sirius ran to the castle. An instant flood of warmth greeted him, soothing his skin from the vicious cold. He popped into the kitchens for a cup of hot chocolate and sipped it as he made his way up to the Gryffindor tower. He inhaled its fragrance and sighed at the memories it brought back.

The portrait creaked as he opened it. He was greeted with homely warmth, a comforting smell of pine, and to his surprise, a girl curled up on the couch.

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she saw who had just arrived.

"You sure took your sweet time coming back," she muttered sleepily.

"Alethea! Weren't you supposed to be going home?" Sirius asked as he walked towards her.

"Well I was, but then I heard that you were staying at Hogwarts and so I decided to stay too," she smiled and gave him a chaste kiss. "It's just you and me. Everyone's gone, I checked,"

Alethea ran her fingers down his chest. He stiffened. She frowned.

"What's wrong? Hoping to see someone else?"

"You shouldn't have stayed," he replied stoically.

"Why not?"

"You shouldn't have stayed for me,"

Sirius got up and left the common room.

"Sirius! Sirius wait!"

Sirius walked up the stairs to the boy's dormitories. Alethea followed.

"Sirius! What's wrong?"

Sirius slammed the door. Alethea slammed on the door.

"Sirius! Open up goddamnit!"

Sirius made no reply. Alethea huffed in exasperation.

"Sirius. I don't know what I did or what's going on with you. But talk to me, please. Just talk to me! I know that you're hurting, and I want to help you. So please, let me in,"

"Go away Alethea,"

With a heavy heart, Alethea obediently walked away.

* * *

The Great Hall was empty the next morning. There was only a scattering of students on the four tables, Alethea being one of them.

She sat staring into space, her bowl of porridge uneaten, her glass of pumpkin juice undisturbed. Absentmindedly, Alethea twirled her spoon around repeatedly.

The silence of the hall was heavy. Conversation was practically non-existent. The owls had already come and gone. The tinkering of cutlery echoed around the walls.

Alethea's thoughts wandered back to the previous night. He had been in an odd mood ever since the beginning of winter. Sirius' mind was always preoccupied, he would space out in the middle of conversations. He seemed tired, disheartened. His kisses lacked fire. He needed someone, desperately.

_If only he would let me in_.

Deciding that she hadn't any appetite, Alethea left the dining hall. Hogwarts was decorated very beautifully for Christmas. Alethea didn't remember it ever being as lovely as it was that year. The lack of students and noise made it all the more alluring. But the loneliness that resonated in the empty halls lessened the joy of the season. Hogwarts herself cried with the lack of spirit. It was no wonder that Sirius was down as well.

Her light stroll led her to the Kitchens, where she popped in for two mugs of hot chocolate. Perhaps they'd cheer Sirius up a bit. Or at the very least, it would provide an excuse to sit by him, let him know that he wasn't alone.

Alethea had spent quite the number of lonely Christmases. They weren't much fun, but she was glad that she had Flippy, her house elf. It was usually just the two of them. Flippy would make delicious cookies and warm, creamy soup. They would sit by the window and watch the snowfall or the stars twinkle. One Christmas, Alethea transfigured Flippy into a middle aged woman and they went to see the Nutcracker.

Sirius was sitting in the common room when Alethea arrived. He sat by the window, staring onto the grounds as if there was a show going on that only he could see.

"Brought you some hot chocolate,"

"Thanks,"

Deciding that Sirius had cooled down somewhat, Alethea went to sit beside him and handed over the mug of steaming liquid.

"The snow is beautiful, white velvety blanket, unlike ice,"

Sirius hummed in agreement.

"It would be a good day to have a snowball fight, don't you think?"

Sirius nodded absentmindedly.

"You hungry? Breakfast's over but I'm sure Moppy would be glad to whip something up for you,"

Sirius shook his head.

"What's wrong Sirius? It's Christmas! We should be having fun, not sitting around here moping. Let's go explore the castle! Let's sneak into Hogsmeade. Let's go snog in a broom cupboard. Let's go break into McGonagall's room. Let's go get pissed! Let's _do_ something!"

Sirius made no move.

"Do you want to be left alone?"

No reply.

Alethea sat there for a moment just staring at him.

"Sirius?"

Silence.

"Sirius!"

Suffocation.

"Sirius, please,"

Still nothing.

Exasperated, Alethea made to leave. She barely made two inches however, before a hand firmly grasped her forearm.

"Don't go," Sirius' voice broke.

"Please, don't go,"

And then Alethea understood. Sirius was hurting in a way that he didn't know how to handle. That he was feeling abandonment's cold burn. That he was feeling so many things at once that he couldn't control his emotions. That he was happy and then guilty about being happy and then angry at being guilty. And all he really needed was someone who understood. Someone who wouldn't just sit there trying to make small talk like Peter. Someone who wouldn't try to diagnose what he was feeling and then tells him how to fix it like Remus. Someone who wouldn't try to get him to cheer up with immature jokes and then unintentionally insults him like James.

Sirius needed someone who would sit with him, just to remind him that he wasn't alone. He needed someone who would make the quiet comfortable. He needed someone who would be with him in spirit.

He needed her, and she would be there for him. She would always be there for him.

And so, Alethea sat back down.

The two of them drank hot chocolate and stared outside that window for the rest of the day.

* * *

The first week passed by quickly. Alethea and Sirius did nothing except have snowball fights, make snow angels, drink hot chocolate, and snog by the Gryffindor fireplace.

One day they bore the freezing cold and spent the night up in the Astronomy Tower stargazing.

_"Is that it?" _

_ "No Sirius, that's Orion," _

_ "How about that one?" _

_ "Eridanus," _

_ "Where's Canis Major? Where's Sirius?" _

_ "You're right here silly. Right where you should be," _

_ "Hm, I think I'd rather be in the sky actually," _

_ "Sirius!"_

* * *

Another day, Sirius and Alethea charmed all of the knights to break out into loud, extremely off-tune blasts of Christmas carols. It took Professor McGonagall and Professor Kettleburn almost three hours to get them to finally shut up.

_"I've tried everything Silvanus! They simply will not stop crooning like a flock of dying sheep!" _

_ "Perhaps we could just bombarda them?" _

_ "Certainly not! These knights have been at Hogwarts for hundreds of years. I will not allow them to be blasted into a million pieces simply because a few students have deemed it funny to break everyone's eardrums! Now think! What else can we use?"_

_ "Damnit! Where's Flitwick when you need him," _

_ "Sunbathing in the Caribbean I think. And watch your language Silvanus," _

A few days after the singing knight incident, Sirius and Alethea decided that it would be even funnier to send all of the seventh year Gryffindor girls anonymous love letters.

_"Alright. Who should we write to next?"_

_ "Let's do Marlene," _

_ "Hmm… write this down. Keep up now Alethea, I don't want to repeat myself,"_

_ "Well don't bloody talk so fast then!"_

"_Well write faster! Anyways:_

_To my beautiful Marlene,_

_ Merry Christmas! I hope you are having a splendid one. As for myself, I must admit that this Christmas I have felt… lonely. I have dreamt of the softness of your touch, the glimmer in your sapphire eyes. I imagine the heavenly voice you shall sing to me in, the feeling of our hearts beating together… _

_ May we be together soon, should I meet you in the Gryffindor common room at twelve o'clock the day we get back? _

_ With all my love,_

_Your secret admirer_

"_Er- Sirius? Marlene has brown eyes," _

"_She does?" _

"_Yes. Don't worry I changed sapphire to chocolate. Let's do Lily now!"_

"_Oh yes! And we have to make it sound like it's from James," _

The week after, Sirius and Alethea grew bored of the deserted castle. They decided that they would have a vacation, a proper one. And being at Hogwarts certainly wasn't going to stop them.

"_Sirius, we should go somewhere," _

"_Oh? And where would that be?" _

"_Let's go… let's go to London!" _

"_And how would we persuade McGonagall to do that?" _

"_We ask her?" _

"_And if she says no?" _

_ "We convince her by telling her that we'll get her some of those muggle Digestive biscuits that she loves so much," _

_ "Why Alethea! I never knew you were so… manipulative," _

_ "It's a gift Sirius. It's a gift,"_

* * *

So the pair popped into Professor McGonagall's office that night, asking her if they could go to London for a few days.

As expected, their request was "preposterous" and that she would "certainly not allow them to wander off into muggle London so that they could do goodness knows what."

And as planned, Alethea promised McGonagall that they would get her an entire box of Digestive biscuits.

McGonagall hesitated.

Alethea reminded her that she would have to wait until summer before she could get any more.

McGonagall finally relented with a "very well Ms. Winters, Mr. Black," However, they were to be back in three days and that she was expecting a large box of Digestives and for them to remember to throw in a good amount of the chocolate covered ones as well. Sirius and Alethea agreed wholeheartedly.

Perhaps this Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

The two departed from Hogwarts early the next morning, each with a shrunken bag in their pocket and a big smile on their face.

"Oi! You lot! Where do'ya think you're going?" Filch yelled as he ran out of the castle and into the snowy grounds.

"Oh shit, Filch. He's gonna confiscate everything!" Sirius moaned.

"Shh- Just disillusion your bag," Alethea whispered back, casting a wandless spell on her bag.

Sirius' eyes widened.

"You can do _wandless magic?_" he exclaimed. "Show me show me!"

"Only the odd spell or two," Alethea said modestly, but nevertheless, she cast the disillusionment charm on his bag as well. "Now wait for him. We don't want to seem suspicious. We have McGonagall's permission after all,"

Alethea and Sirius stood and waited as Filch stumbled over to them. When he finally made it his face was red and his breathing haggard.

"Where- do- you- think- you're- going-! Students- are- to- remain- on- school- grounds- at- all- times!" He berated, hands on his knees. "Get- back- to- the- castle- immediately- before- I- report- to- Professor- McGonagall!"

"Well you see Mr. Filch, we have Professor McGonagall's explicit permission to visit London. You see, we have some very important business to conduct for her. Top secret you know. So, if you would excuse us, we are on a very limited time- "

"You expect me to believe that! You think that I'm stupid do you? Think that I can't detect a lie when I see one?" Filch burst out angrily, cutting Alethea off.

"You hear one," Alethea said.

"Hear what?"

"You can't hear one,"

"Hear what!"

Alethea sighed. "You can't detect a lie when you _hear_ one. Not see one, Mr. Filch,"

Filch's face dawned an incredulous expression, as if he couldn't believe that a student had the nerve to correct him.

"Why you!"

Sirius quickly piped up before Filch had the opportunity to go on a detention-giving rampage. "Look! There's McGonagall now! You can confirm with her yourself,"

"Oh! Filch! Good- to- see- you" Professor McGonagall said, out of breath from running across the Hogwarts courtyard. "I forgot- to mention," She paused to catch her breath. "I forgot to mention that Ms. Winters and Mr. Black here" Another pause. "I forgot to mention that these two are going to London for a few days as I have some business that I had to attend to. However, seeing as I cannot leave the grounds, I have allowed them to go for me,"

Filch's eyes narrowed. "What sort of business?"

McGonagall panicked. "Uh- well- you see- "

"As Professor McGonagall said, it's private and is none of your concern," Alethea interrupted. "May we leave now Professor?"

"Yes, yes of course,"

"Wait! I must check their bags first! Who knows what confiscated items they'll be sneaking out!" Filch burst out.

Alethea and Sirius shook their head vehemently.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary Argus. I trust these two,"

"But it's protocol! It's in the rules! Who knows what these two are hiding!"

"That's enough Argus. I trust Ms. Winters and Mr. Black. Are you saying that you question judgement?" McGonagall said sternly.

Filch's eyes widened at what the Deputy Headmistress was implying. He bitterly turned his heel and stormed back to the castle.

"Thanks Professor!" Alethea exclaimed.

"Yes, yes. Well I have recently received a letter from an old muggle friend and she says that they have _caramel_ Digestives too! You must make sure that you get a few of those alright?"

Sirius chuckled. "Aye, aye Professor!"

"Well, go on then. The apparition point is just a few yards away from the gates,"

And so the pair sauntered joyfully across the snowy white grounds, their hand crossed, their cheeks flushed, and large smiles dancing on their faces.

* * *

**So that's chapter 5! Next time, we'll see what mischief Alethea and Sirius get up to in London. Hope you all are enjoying the new school year (if you're going back to school). **

**xxx,**

**LordessV**


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